Good Legal Money

Joseph has always had an imagination. It would drive Cody crazy too. As far back as he could recall Joey, short for Joseph, was forever building and pretending to build. It was no wonder he took up architect in college and workshop when we were in high school. He won first place in the workshop building contest and he graduated college in the top of his class. If he did not know any better, Joey was born with a hammer in his hand and a draft pen sticking out of his mouth instead of the silver spoon. Joey’s family moved in across the street from Cody’s around the 2^nd grade. Joey entered their 2^nd grade class and set next to Cody and they have been friends ever since. What made it even better is that later that day, they would discover they lived right across the street from each other. Joey’s mother had dropped him that off that morning. She told him to wait and let his teacher show him which bus to get on to come home. She reminded him his older sister Lisa would already be on the bus. They would let the big kids get on the bus first. When after school, Cody sees their teacher walking Joey towards his bus, he could not believe his eyes. Man, we will get to ride the bus together, he thought. Joey got on the bus and of course once eyeing Cody sitting near the back, his hand raised high and waving, Joey knew where he would be sitting. Joey was so excited to see Cody, he did not even notice he walked right by his sister. She did not notice him either, she was too busy talking to her friend Linda.  Cody relished the ride home but when the bus driver stopped at the bus stop and Joey got off with all the other kids that lived on Lillie Lane, Cody could not believe it. He waited on Joey as he stepped off the bus, hey where do you live, he asked, Joey replied, right down there, across the street. Cody did not quite know what “right down there” meant so he just started walking and Joey walked alone with him. Just a couple of houses down, Joey crossed the street alone with his sister Lisa. Cody eyes grew bigger, and his mouth having fallen opened, you lived there, pointing at the house across from his own. It was red brick, two car garages, with a wooden fence around a huge back yard. Joey replied yes, not understanding quite yet what the big deal was. Cody, calming himself down looked at Joey and said well howdy neighbor. Welcome to the neighborhood! Joey looked confused and asked, do you leave near here? Cody pointed to the house directly across the street from Joey. Yes, I do. I live right there, Joey. 

   School was never the same after that first introduction. The two boys practically stayed at each other houses, back and forth. Joey over Cody’s one weekend and Cody over Joey’s the next. Cody later found out his new friend Joey and his family had moved to California from Arizona. Joey once told him he did not want to move and leave his other friends. They had to make the move while school was on break. His coming to California was so unexpected and more unwanted. But having Cody as a friend made the move much easier. They grew up together and grew to be even better friends. They rarely had disagreements, but they had had a few. The biggest and the one most often was Joey’s insistence in always building things out of whatever he could find. Down through the years you could say it became a hobby and as stated a way to make a living. Cody recalled when they were in 10^th grade that Joey’s hobby for building started with Legos. He had thousands of Legos and he was good at making different things with them. That particular year he was using Legos to build the empire state building. His father was so impressed he turned a corner of one of the garages into a small workspace for Joey. The attic was where he kept his Legos. It was his mother that noticed when he was much younger his liking to make noise, as in banging things and building things out of this or that. Well, college came alone and of course who else would be or could be Joey’s roommate except Cody. Freshmen year went off without any problems until Joey came in one day and it went from there. Cody! he was yelling like someone was after him. Co, short for Cody, Joey would sometimes call him. I found a way for us to make money. Cody was not interested yeah, how? It is so easy Co, by doing what we like best, and that is Joey? Cody inquired, building things from Legos, Cody, turned and walked off. Joey grabbed him by the back of his shirt before he made two steps. Joey that is not a “we” thing, that is what you like doing, Cody replied. That is your hobby, he continued. Yes, Cody but it could be ours and again we could make money. The word money did peak Cody’s interest just a little. But he hated Legos. Joey had for years bombarded him with them he could no longer tolerate anything to do with them. Cody relented and decided to let Joey try and talk him into this crazy idea he had. How are we going to make money with Legos he asked? Look, Cody he continued as he pulled out a newspaper from his Drafting 2 book. They are needing men, women people to make certain things out of Legos, Joey excitedly explained. Certain things, what kind of certain things Cody asked. I am not sure but whatever it is, who is the best Lego builder you know, asked Joey. Cody shook his head in disbelief. He could not believe Joey brought him this crazy set up and secondly, he could not believe he was considering it. Legos all but made him sick, like the smell of liver. How much will it cost us and how much are we going to get paid, Cody asked. Payment depends on the project we chose and even better it will not cost us a thing, replied Joey. Cody looked at Joey with even more disbelief. It must be a scam. We do not have to pay anything; we just get paid. Right Joey assured him. He walked up to Cody and put his arm around his shoulder, as I said WE, our hobby. Cody said we yes, but this is your crazy hobby. Well, fine, my hobby that you must get on board with. Some of these projects can bring us two to four thousand dollars each. If they are paying that much what I know is these projects are not anything you can do in a day or two, said Cody. Exactly, Joey said. You pick and they send you a diagram of what they want, like a lion or something. They, the company sends the Legos to you in the correct colors of the project and you put them together. They provide the glue and when we are done, we send them a picture. They will come pick it up and at this time we get paid, Joey explained. He continued now does that sound easy enough. Sure, Cody replied. You keep putting emphasis on “we”, Cody continued. Yes, we, me and you will do this and make good legal money, Joey told him with an air of confidence in himself and in Cody.

    The first few projects went well and netted them two thousand dollars. Cody had to admit it was not as hard as he thought it would be. Joey did most of the work, of course he did, it was what he loved doing. Cody on the other hand had to admit it was kind of fun being able to see each project come to be. Joey had really sold him on this, and the money was not bad either. Just like Joey had told him the bigger the project the more the money and to Cody, the bigger the more complicated. But to Joey the more complicated meant the more the fun. One day Joey picked a project in which he had not consulted him on. It was a monster of a project. It was not going to be done in a weekend nor within week or two. It was going to take a month and that was still not enough time. It was going to take at least three. There first thing they had to do is find a place where they could put it together. When Cody found out it was a giraffe. A standing up tall giraffe Cody wanted to wring Joey’s neck. All Joey could say is it worth four thousand and if we get done in two month it is an extra thousand. Cody relented and they got started. Halfway through the project Joey got very ill. He went to classes, but it was a hit and miss. He helped with the Legos project as much as he could but there too, hit and miss. He literally had to guide Cody through to completion. They did not finish early but they did get done. It was not a week later, Joey ended up in the hospital. Cody would go by as much as he could. Cody continues to take small projects, those he knew he could do himself. He always shared the monies with Joey. Joey returned home after about eight weeks in the hospital. JC Legos continued as if they never stopped and they did not. Sophomore and Junior years went by, they would continue JC Legos but never another project like the giraffe. Their senior year Joey again ended up in the hospital and as before Cody kept JC Legos going. Joey on one of Cody’s visit told him he had Leukemia. Cody’s first reaction was anger because it started back in when they were freshmen. Joey never told him because he thought he had beaten it and Cody would never have to know. Cody’s second reaction was anger because Joey spoke as if he could not beat it this time. Joey grabbed Cody’s hands and told him; you like it don’t you? Cody did not understand. Joey continued, building things out of Legos, you like it don’t you? It is now a hobby isn’t it? Cody would not deprive his sick friend of this one joy, and he did not have to because Joey was telling the truth. Somehow alone the way Cody had found a means of relaxing and a since of accomplishment after each project. Joey passed away by the end of their senior year. He did finish at the top of his class Posthumous. Cody went on to widen the scope of JC Legos while assisting other college students to make good legal money.